Winter: Chapter 89 in Thorne's POV
by Ravenclaw Heronstairs
Summary: The part where Thorne stabs Cress...yeah we all remember that one...:(


**I'm back! I'm thankful for all that great reviews you left me in my other story: Winter: Chapters 70 and 71 in Thorne's POV. You guys really seemed to like it and someone requested that I do chapter 89 in his POV as well so here it is! I'm thinking I might do chapter 95 as well if you guys want me to. Just let me know any other chapters from either Cress or Winter or even Scarlet that you want me to do in Thorne's POV! :)**

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Thorne always knew that one of the things he was good at was pretending to be confident even in the most dire situations. He knew he was in trouble the moment he saw Cinder rush into the throne room, intent on killing Levana once and for all, only to be stopped by Thorne himself as he stood dangerously close to ledge of the throne room. He knew that behind all her sarcastic remarks she did actually care about him and she certainly wasn't going to allow him to step off the ledge. For a moment, he felt immensely bad for Cinder; she had lost so much already, he didn't want her to lose anymore. Now, Levana was using him against her and she wasn't going to allow anything to happen to them; even if it meant giving up to throne to Levana.

Thorne had managed to untie his hands but it didn't do him any good considering Levana still had control over his body. He listened as Cinder and Levana spoke about Cinder's mother, about how she had forced Levana to put her hand to the fire when they were younger and how it had scarred her face. That was why Levana wore the veil; to conceal the horrible tragedy that destroyed her face when she was a child. Thorne really didn't care about any of that; his thoughts were on a completely different matter: Cress.

After he had left her in that supply closet, intent on distracting the guards so she could get to the control room, he had been captured and he hasn't seen or heard from her since. Considering Cinder had made it and that fact that there was sort of a huge battle going on he assumed Cress had done her job. So where was she? Did she get captured as well? Was she hurt, or worse? The thought made him shudder. He refused to think she had been hurt. She had to make it out; she _had_ to.

He snapped back to the conversation at hand. "...how about we put it to a vote?" Cinder was saying. "Let the people decide who they want to rule them."

Thorne took an unwilling step back, towards the ledge. His left heel was on the edge now and he felt his heart pound as he glanced down at the sparkling lake below him. He wondered how deep the water was and if he could survive the fall. Cinder survived when she jumped but she was also a cyborg. Thorne was as human as they come and he wasn't a big fan of swimming either.

"Wait!" Cinder exclaimed, holding an arm out to him. "I could promise to relinquish my crown to you, but there are still going to be tens of thousands of people outside demanding for you to abdicate. The secret is out. They know I'm Selene. I can't take it back."

"Tell them you lied," Levana said briskly.

"Also, the second you kill him, I'm going to kill you." Cinder glared and Thorne resisted the urge to look down again. The edge was right behind him, one more step and he'd plummet to his death.

Levana stayed silent for a moment, cocking her head to the side. "Then I will change the terms of my offer. Sacrifice yourself, and I will not kill him."

Thorne kept a cool mask of indifference, refusing to allow Cinder to see the fear behind his eyes. He clicked his tongue at her. "Even I can see that's a bad deal."

"Thorne…"

"Do me a favor?" He asked. Cinder frowned at him. "Tell Cress I meant it." _Make sure she knows how much she means to me; how much I love her._ He turned to Levana. "All right, your Queenliness. I'll call your bluff if she won't."

"I'm not negotiating with you," Levana snapped.

"If you kill me," Thorne continued, ignoring her glare. "you've lost your last bargaining chip and Cinder wins. So let's talk about your options. You can either accept that your time as queen is over and let us both go, and maybe Cinder will take mercy and not have you executed as a traitor. Or you can throw me off this ledge and‒"

"Fine."

Thorne's eyes widened as he stepped off the overhang. He cried out, throwing his arms out, grasping for balance. He briefly saw Cinder drop her weapons and rush over to him but it was too late. He fell and barely managed to grab onto the ledge with one hand. He grunted, digging his nails into the marble floor before his hand slipped and he let go.

He waited for the long fall to his death but it didn't come. Instead, he felt Cinder's metal hand dig into his arm. She reached over the ledge and clung to his arm tightly, her eyes wide with fear and panic. He was certain her expression mirrored his. "Thanks," he panted. Then his free hand swung upward and collided with Cinder's jaw. "Sorry! That's not me!"

"I know," she grunted, planting her hand on the floor and hauling Thorne over the ledge. His feet scrambled for purchase but she didn't let go and he collapsed on the floor. He took several deep breaths before his hand gripped the knife he had found in the mansion and he sunk it into Cinder's thigh.

"Still not me," Thorne breathed, his heart pounding. _No..._ Cinder was screaming and he wanted to help her but he knew he couldn't. He couldn't do anything anymore. He raised the knife, preparing to stab her again when she tackled him to the floor, the knife falling from his grip. _Yes! Go Cinder! Knock me out, anything! Do anything to get me to stop! I don't want to hurt you._ Thorne elbowed her in the throat and scrambled away from her and she clutched her neck, gasping for air. He got to his feet and ran at a speed he didn't even know he possessed. He grabbed the gun Cinder had dropped and aimed it at her head, clicking it off safety.

Cinder turned to him and stumbled. He was certain the fear was written in every line of his face now. He was about to kill his best friend and there wasn't anything he could do to stop it. Cinder's leg was bleeding from where he had stabbed her. The guilt was already pushing into his brain, making him feel dizzy. His gaze flickered to Levana, who looked coolly amused. He hated her; he hated everything about her. He urged his hand to aim the gun at Levana but it didn't move. A bead of sweat ran down his face and he swallowed.

A gunshot echoed off the room's stone walls and he flinched. It took about five seconds before the white hot pain registered in his mind. The gun Thorne had been holding was now skidding across the floor and blood seeped down his hand. He didn't even hear himself curse in shocked pain.

"I'm sorry!" He turned to see Cress, _his_ Cress, struggling to stand up near the door. She held a gun in her tiny hands and her eyes were wide. "I'm sorry, Captain!"

Thorne cursed again. Despite the pain in his hand, he was incredibly glad to see her. She was there, alive and whole, and she was his. He wanted to go to her but his legs wouldn't move. She looked so frightened and shocked. "Nice shot!" Thorne shouted with a wary smile in her direction.

"Cress," Cinder croaked from behind him. "The queen, Cress. Shoot the queen!"

Cress trembled but changed her aim, leveling the gun at Levana. Thorne was about to tell Cress to shoot but before he could, he ran forward and knocked Cress's arm up with his elbow while simultaneously, with his uninjured hand, driving the knife into her stomach.

The world stopped. The was a ringing in Thorne's ears. He heard the clang of the gun as it fell out of Cress's hands. Thorne barely registered the fact that he was still holding the hilt of the knife, still buried into her stomach. He stared into her eyes; her intense caribbean blue eyes. He could easily get lost in them. Now, they were filled with horror and pain, brimming with tears.

Thorne heard a gunshot but he didn't look away from Cress. He suddenly felt empty; like there was nothing in him anymore. Cress was trembling. He never even got to tell her he loved her.

Another gunshot rang and Thorne turned quickly, yanking the knife out of Cress and ran toward Cinder. While she was turned away, he stabbed her in the side. He heard Cress gasp, "No!"

Cinder collapsed to the floor and Cress grabbed onto his arm, trying to pull him away but he was too strong and she was weakening quickly. "I'm sorry!" Thorne sobbed, feeling his heart break into a million pieces. Cinder was lying on the floor, staring up at him in shock and Cress was still dangling on his arm. "I'm so sorry‒"

He felt a sharp pain in his hand and noticed Cress was biting him, sinking her teeth into his hand in an attempt to get him to release to knife. Thorne stifled a scream, feeling tears brim his eyes but he didn't let go.

Cinder launched herself at him, trying to wrestle the knife from his grip. Thorne offered no resistance as she planted her foot on his chest and kicked, ripping the knife away and sending Thorne backward into one of the audience chairs. He felt a sharp pain in his shoulder but it was nothing compared to the stinging of his hand and the ache in his heart.

Cress collapsed to her knees, clutching her stomach. "Cinder…"

Thorne lost it, seeing the tears on her cheeks and the pain in her eyes. He wasn't paying attention to Cinder or Levana, or the fact that Wolf and Scarlet were now standing in the doorway, looking around the room in shock.

His eyes were glued to Cress, _his_ Cress as she fell onto her side, her blood soaking the floor, and he knew he had lost her forever.


End file.
